Car hire at Queenstown Airport: Book in advance

Whether your Queenstown car rental is for business a pleasure, make sure you pre-book your vehicle with Airport Rentals. The bustling terminal is just the gateway to one of the most stunning destinations in New Zealand, so don’t get stuck waiting in line and hoping for a car. Make your plans before you travel and be on the road with no delay.

Compare rental companies

There’s a huge range of suppliers offering car rentals at Queenstown Airport. Some have counters in the terminal, some have depots close by, while others offer shuttle buses or drop-off services. With so many options for international brands and local companies, it can be quite the task to find the best vehicle for your holiday in all aspects - cost, size, features and availability.

With this in mind, Airport Rentals has collated those choices, so you can find them all in one easy search. Just enter a few details and get a list of cars for hire at Queenstown Airport during your travel period, formatted for easy comparison. See at a glance the features of each vehicle, transmission type, reviews from past customers and price details. From there, it is easy to decide on your ideal set of wheels. Still stumped? Filter the results by specifying transmission type, vehicle class, pick-up method and more.

Cheap car hire at Queenstown Airport

The price point is always a key factor on the Airport Rentals site. Our large network of rental suppliers all over the world allows us to offer the best online deals. To back that up, we have a lowest price promise – find out more details on the “About Us” page.

For extra low prices, take a look at the discounts advertised on the front page. Special offers, mystery deals and plenty more can be found here, so we can drop prices even further.

Queenstown, the ‘Adventure Capital of the world’

A Queenstown Airport car rental is just the beginning of a memorable trip! With your own vehicle you can reach the many adventure activities spread around the region and the CBD - these include the gondola and luge, bungy jumping, jet boating, skydiving, parasailing, heli tours and plenty more. If skydiving is something you want to attempt, NZONE Skydive is your best bet as the only Tandem Skydive company to have won New Zealand’s Supreme Tourism Award. On the more sedentary side of things, there are a number of wineries, plenty of spas and some great restaurants around Queenstown.

Hit New Zealand’s well-maintained highways to explore beyond Queenstown. To the north and south lie two more beautiful lakeside towns: Wanaka and Te Anau respectively. The Southern Alps mountain range stretches the length of the South Island offering spectacular vistas, and desolately beautiful beaches are backed by the forest-covered foothills on the western coast. A popular destination for travellers is the Milford Sound with picturesque views of the surrounding Alpine mountains. The best way to experience what the area has to offer is from above - Air Milford offer scenic flights and are your best call of action when looking to best experience the region.

For bright lights, head to the student city of Dunedin - a mere three-and-a-half-hour drive from Queenstown. Set at the head of Otago Harbour, it is home to a colony of albatross and penguins, the world’s steepest street and the Cadbury Factory. It also boasts a proud Scottish heritage. Other great destinations on the east coast include Christchurch, the island’s biggest city, whale-watching hotspot Kaikoura, and the Blenheim/Marlborough wine region. Christchurch has a range of options for car rental pick up - consider beginning your adventure there with a Christchurch Airport car hire. For those looking to make a country long trip of it, an Auckland Airport car hire is the best call of action as New Zealands biggest centre.

The Queenstown area is not only one for adventure and thrills - great food and wine is easy to come by in the region. The Gibbston region is largely synonymous with one thing: Exceptional wine. Well, that, and the kind of views that bring millions of visitors to New Zealand every year. Mt Rosa Lodge’s location is a utopia for anyone who loves a great vino and enjoys waking up to postcard-perfect scenes out the window every morning. This exquisite five-star lodge is surrounded by its own pinot noir vines, as well as hiking trails, restaurants, and snow-capped mountains. Set just half an hour from Lake Wakatipu, Mt Rosa Lodge is a mountainside retreat perfect for picking up a Queenstown car hire, getting away from the bustle of the central city, but still being close enough to all of the region’s best features.

There’s a bit of debate in Queenstown amongst locals about whether summer (and its hiking and long warm days) or winter (and its snow-capped mountains and ski runs) is the better season - but one thing that everyone can agree on all year round is that the local wines are some of the best in the world. The team at Queenstown Wine Trail Tours can show you a world of luscious pinot noirs, as well as pinot gris, riesling, and sauvignon blanc to name a few - plus all the delicious cheeses to match. With daily or private wine tours, this experience offers the ultimate in a relaxing day out where the only finger you’ll lift is your pinky whilst holding a freshly poured glass of vino. Hop in your Queenstown car rental to make your way to the tour office - then again when you decide you need to go back for seconds!

New Zealand driving tips

● Kiwis drive on the left. Take a while to get used to this if you are coming from a country which does not.\

● Stick to the posted speed limits at all times! Distances and speeds are in kilometres and kilometres per hour. Highways pass through most small towns rather than bypassing them, and it is important to slow to the required speed.

● Many roads in the South Island are windy and mountainous. Take extra care, especially in wet weather.

Queenstown Airport Car Rental Brands

Gaining the title of Adventure Capital of the World is no small feat, nor is defending that title for years on end against all comers, but that’s exactly what Queenstown has done. As if offering the best thrillseeking opportunities in the world isn’t enough, this city is also nestled in the shadow of picturesque mountains, on the shore of a crystal clear lake. In other words, Queenstown should be going straight to the top of your bucket list. To make sure you don’t miss any of what this spectacular city has to offer, we’ve got a quick guide to the rental car suppliers in and around Queenstown Airport below:

On Airport Rental Brands

You can find Avis Car Rental inside the terminal building of Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. Pick up a 4WD to brave the South Island’s alpine passes or opt for a Subcompact model for ultimate savings - these are just a few of the choices available to you with Avis.

Budget Car Rental is located in the terminal building of Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. From Premium Passenger Vans to fit the whole family to Toyota Yaris type Economy models that cost little to rent and less to drive, Budget has a little something for everyone.

Hertz Car Rental can be found in the terminal building of Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. Whether you’re hunting for something cheap to zip around the city or need something with a little more power, the Hertz fleet of late model vehicles is sure to have just the vehicle you’re after.

Europcar Rental is situated within the terminal building of Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. Europcar boasts the youngest vehicle fleet in New Zealand, with most of their cars only 11 weeks old. Compact, 4WD, Luxury… the Europcar fleet runs the whole gamut.

Look for Thrifty Rental in the terminal building of Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. The Thrifty fleet of late model vehicles includes a selection of sedans from Economy and Compact to Full-size.

Bliss Car Rental can be found in the terminal building at Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. Bliss offers Thrifty vehicles but at rates that are exclusive to AirportRentals.com.

Keddy Car Rental is located at the Europcar desk and offers Europcar vehicles, but the rates can often be some of the cheapest on the market, depending on when you’re planning to travel.

You usually can find AutoEurope Car Rental at either the Thrifty or Europcar desk - keep an eye on this brand as they often have fantastic deals, depending on the time of year.

Apollo Car Rental is located at the Hertz desk. They offer Hertz cars but on slightly different terms. This is another brand to look out for, as they can offer amazing value at certain times of the year.

Ezi Car Rental is situated inside the terminal building at Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. Their wide ranging fleet offers a host of options that are especially good for the budget conscious traveller.

Firefly Car Rental can be found in the terminal building at Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. They offer vehicles serviced by Hertz and can have incredible rates depends on the time of year.

Jucy Car Rental is located within the terminal building at Queenstown Airport, Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, 9300. With a mix of older and late model vehicles in their fleet, Jucy has a little something for everyone.

Off Airport Rental Brands

Go Car Rental is just a minute away from the Queenstown Airport terminal, on Lucas Place. Catch a ride directly to the pick up location in their complimentary GO shuttle bus. GO has some incredibly priced models and even a selection of wagons and vans if you need a bit of extra space.

Omega Car Rental can be found just 2 minutes from Queenstown Airport, on Gray Street. Their complimentary shuttle can pick you up from the airport terminal and drop you directly at the Omega rental depot. Offering a range of vehicles to suit every budget, there’s plenty of choice with Omega.

Big Value Car Rental are serviced by Omega and operates out of the Omega depot. This brand is exclusive to AirportRentals.com and is most often the cheapest option on the market.